


Tremendously dense

by Byedletre



Series: My light, my heart [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Female My Unit | Byleth, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Humor, One Shot, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Sothis dunking on Fools
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:53:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25789903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Byedletre/pseuds/Byedletre
Summary: ”Byleth, where are you going?”She halts and turns to direct her gaze onto Sothis. “I’m going to hug my other students.”Sothis helps Byleth show her appreciation to the people she cares about.
Relationships: Black Eagles Students & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, My Unit | Byleth & Sothis
Series: My light, my heart [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984019
Comments: 32
Kudos: 242





	Tremendously dense

Sothis watches on as Byleth hugs Edelgard. 

The princess came to visit Byleth in her room early on this Sunday, and she asked to discuss their mission for the month. Religious dissenters in the west, or something. They both stood once their discussion concluded, and Byleth, in something of a newfound habit, pulled her into a long embrace. As usual, she blushed and sputtered at first, but—as usual—she relaxed into it soon enough.

It’s heartwarming, honestly. The princess seems to have trouble with her emotions—not quite as bad as Byleth does, but still. Now, they support each other in a way that few others would be capable of. Perhaps they see something of themselves in each other.

And Edelgard is one of the only things Byleth has expressed an interest in, so far. Other such interests include growing flowers for Edelgard, and asking Sothis for new ways to make Edelgard happy. If Sothis didn’t know better, she might think Byleth obsessed. As it is though, Byleth has hardly had a normal upbringing, and the fact that she latched on to the first person to consider her as a friend and equal is not surprising. Fortunately, she is starting to build a rapport with her other students, too. So she’ll have more friends, soon enough. Hopefully.

If Sothis is sincere with herself, she might admit that she’s a little jealous. It’s been much too long since she was able to hold someone in her arms. As it stands, however, she has to settle for assisting Byleth in navigating her emotions, and her new life at the monastery. There are certainly worse purposes for one’s existence. Byleth is well-meaning, if a little dense.

Well.

 _Tremendously_ dense.

Regardless—

Her thoughts are interrupted by said princess pulling away from Byleth. Her cheeks are still dusted with pink, but she’s smiling as she says, “Thank you, my teacher. Your support helps me like nothing else.”

Byleth, fool that she is, only nods in response.

“Then I shall leave you to your free day. Do try to make the most of it, won’t you? Your work for our class has been ceaseless since you arrived here.”

“I’ll try,” is all Byleth says. Unenthusiastic at best.

Edelgard’s smile grows even wider, and she steps back. “That’s excellent to hear, my teacher. I will see you another time, then.”

“Goodbye, Edelgard,” Byleth intones, with all the ardour of a _particularly_ listless boulder.

Edelgard then turns and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. 

On any normal day, Sothis would be the one to speak up first. She might tell Byleth if she noticed anything particular in the other person’s face—any subtle hints of emotion that Byleth didn’t stand a chance of picking up on. Or anything else that came to mind; Sothis is not picky. The chance to talk at all is something that delights her.

She gets no opportunity to do so today. Byleth, having stood and stared at the door as Sothis mused, is now moving towards it with purpose in her stride. Such purpose often consists of an ill-conceived idea borne from her naivety. Sothis should stop her before she goes any further. Or at least confirm that her idea is not _too_ bad.

_“Byleth, where are you going?”_

She halts and turns to direct her gaze onto Sothis. _“I’m going to hug my other students.”_

Sothis dons a stony expression and dispenses her wisdom, _“You cannot simply waltz up to people and touch them as you please. It may work with the princess, but—”_

_“Edelgard.”_

Sothis blinks. _“Huh?”_

_“Her name is Edelgard.”_

She’s like a knight, defending her liege’s honour. 

Right. Well. Sothis keeps forgetting that the prin—that _Edelgard_ prefers to be referred to as such. And once Byleth learned that, she made it clear that the rule was to be followed. Seeing as how direct requests like that are so infrequent from her, Sothis would be remiss not to try a little harder.

_“Edelgard, then. She may be happy with your affections, but others may not take quite so kindly to it.”_

The barest hint of a crease forms in Byleth’s brow. _“But I want everyone else to smile, too. Like Edelgard does.”_

How touching. 

Sothis’ glare softens, and she looks out the window as she considers. _“Well…”_

The students of the monastery are not bad people—they treat Byleth well, despite her difficulties. It’s impressive, really, how readily they’ve taken to their bizarre new professor. One might even go so far as to say that they like her. Thus, with the right approach, it is probable that they would indeed smile at a hug from her. If nothing else, her earnest demeanour would probably do it.

Sothis exhales and meets Byleth’s eyes again. _“Let’s go look for them, then. We can devise a strategy! I’ll help you figure out how to approach each of your little fledglings. If you respect their boundaries and consider their wishes, I think they’ll all be quite happy to hug you.”_

The crease in Byleth’s brow fades, and she nods.

Sothis claps her hands together. _“Wonderful! In that case, let us begin with the small, timid, purple-haired girl.”_

_“Bernadetta.”_

_“Yes, her. We’ll start with her since it’s still early. She spends the early hours in the greenhouse while people are still asleep, does she not? If you set off now, you may be able to catch her before she retreats to her room.”_

Byleth nods again and walks over to the door. She exits her room, stepping into the early morning sun. She closes the door behind her and turns south, to face in the direction of the greenhouse.

And then, she bolts off in an all-out _sprint_.

As she runs, she effortlessly weaves between the people of the monastery that she passes. When she approaches the sideways staircase leading to the lower level of grass, she simply leaps over the low barrier, rolls when she hits the ground, and continues her run afterwards. A handful of monks watch on, gawping at Byleth’s antics. One would think that after several months of this, they would be used to it.

Byleth slows to a walk as she nears the greenhouse, and Sothis can hear quiet humming coming from inside the building. Byleth must hear it too, since she pauses with her hand on the door’s handle.

_“It would appear that my assumption was correct; that certainly sounds like her.”_

Byleth tilts her head to the side. A wordless query for guidance.

_“You can start by opening the door. Be gentle with it, you’ll give her a heart attack if it slams.”_

Byleth does so, and enters the building. Bernadetta is standing in the middle of the greenhouse, watering a patch of carnivorous plants. Sothis also takes note of Byleth’s latest cluster of carnations in the far end of the opposite plot—they’re doing quite well.

Bernadetta appears to have not heard the door over her humming. A good start. Perhaps she will remain calm, as long as Byleth speaks softly—

“Bernadetta.”

She shrieks, and leaps away from the noise, covering her head with her hands. Sothis, too, places a hand on her own face, and groans. The watering can clatters on the greenhouse’s tile floor.

“I’m sorryyyyy, don’t hurt meeeee!”

Sothis removes her hand from her face. She certainly has her work cut out for her.

_“Just…stay put for now, and wait for her to recognise you; she always seems more comfortable around you than others. Don’t speak until she’s looking at you, she may think you’re shouting at her.”_

Byleth does just that, and a moment passes in which nobody moves, before Bernadetta works up the courage to look up from the floor. She looks across the greenhouse to see Byleth—having followed Sothis’ instruction to the letter—standing motionless in the doorway. Byleth’s piercing gaze somehow comforts the timid girl, who breathes a sigh of relief.

“Oh, I’m so glad it’s you, Professor! I thought someone had come to strike poor Bernie down. Should never have left my room this morning…”

_“Now, you can approach her. Slowly! Ask how her plants are doing, and be sure to get permission before you hug her.”_

Byleth starts taking small steps forward. “Bernadetta. How are your plants doing?”

“Oh! Uh, they’re doing well. They won’t be for much longer if they don’t get water soon, oh…” She hangs her head as she rambles, “Of course I had to drop my watering can, they’ll never grow up big and strong, I…”

_“Get her some more water before she berates herself into an early grave. And warn her before you take the can!”_

“I’ll get you some more water,” Byleth says, interrupting Bernadetta.

“Oh—Professor, you don’t have to. It’s okay, I’ll—”

She gets no more words out as Byleth moves like lightning, swiping the fallen watering can from behind her. The brisk motion causes Bernadetta to yelp again, jumping away like she’d been burned. She covers her head with her hands again, and the blur of colour that is Byleth leaves through the greenhouse doors.

Sothis barely has a chance to register all this before Byleth is walking back inside, sloshing watering can in hand.

Hopefully pond water is good enough for the plants.

Seeing the absence of any threats, Bernadetta takes a deep breath to steady herself, and she removes her hands from her head to take the proffered watering can. “Th—thanks, Professor.” She smiles a little as she speaks, and Sothis does not miss the way Byleth subtly jolts in place—the starkest expression of excitement she has shown to date.

_“You could ask her to talk about her plants some more while you hug her. I expect she’ll be a lot more comfortable if she has something to focus on. It’ll stop her mind from jumping to conclusions.”_

“Bernadetta. I’d like to hear more about your plants. Can I hug you while you talk?”

“Oh!” She blinks once, twice, as she processes the words. Then her brow sets in determination. She gives one sharp nod and turns to face the bed of flowers again.

Byleth moves over and hugs her from behind. As she is a little taller, her eyes just peek over the top of Bernadetta’s head. Bernadetta grabs Byleth’s clasped hands with her free one, and when they’ve settled, she starts watering again. She rambles on about the plants she cares for herself, why she likes them, the names she has given them, and more.

Byleth’s eyes focus on each plant Bernadetta points out. She gives her undivided attention, learning as much as she can about her student’s interest.

* * *

When Bernadetta has had enough social interaction for the morning, she retreats to her room with a light spring in her step. Byleth takes the opportunity to water her own flowers, and then she too steps outside the building. She tilts her head.

_“You could try looking in the direction of the stables next. If you pass by the market there’s a good chance you’ll run into someone along the way.”_

Byleth nods and sprints off past the fishing pond. She greets the people she recognises as she rockets past.

“Leonie.”

“Hi, Professor.”

“Flayn.”

“Hello, Professor!”

“Gatekeeper.”

“Greetings, Professor! Nothing to—” His voice becomes inaudible as the distance between them greatens.

She cuts around the side of the entrance hall to approach the stables, but a broad man walking in the opposite direction interrupts her. She stops in an instant before she can bump into him.

“Dad.”

“Hey kid, what’s going on? Got somewhere you need to be?” Jeralt smiles a little at his own joke.

“I’m looking for my students.”

“You’ve got the day off, don’t you?” His brow furrows. “What do you need them for?”

“I’m hugging them.”

He blinks a few times, as if in disbelief. “Hugging them, huh?”

How lamentable it is that he’d have such a reaction. Neither he nor Byleth is responsible for their circumstances, yet here they are all the same. Well, no time like the present to start fixing things!

Sothis leans forward in the air, pushing her head into Byleth’s field of vision. _“Ask to hug him, too! I guarantee you he’ll be much happier for it.”_

“Can I hug you too?”

Jeralt’s eyes widen, and he stands stunned. “Well, of course you can! What’s gotten into you? You’ve never had an interest in hugging before.”

Byleth tilts her head, as if the answer couldn’t be more obvious. “I want my students to be happy, so I’m hugging them.”

Jeralt stares for a moment before his face lights up in the widest smile Sothis has ever seen on him. “That’s great to hear, kid. Come on, bring it in!” He wraps his arms around Byleth and lifts her off the ground in a bear hug. Her arms are restricted beneath his, but she valiantly wraps her forearms around him as far as she is able.

He holds her up for what must be at least a minute, and when he finally lets her down, he claps her on the shoulder. “Thanks, kid. It’s good to see you’re taking to this place. Just make sure you don’t touch anyone that doesn’t want it, okay?”

Byleth nods at him, and Jeralt starts walking past her towards the front gate. 

“See ya, then.”

She nods again at his back, before turning and running the remaining distance to the stables. She stops when she arrives and sweeps her gaze around the area. 

And for once, Sothis sees something before she does. _“Ah, there’s one in the building there. The proud, boisterous boy.”_

Byleth turns in his direction. “Ferdinand.”

He looks away from the horse he is brushing. “Professor! What might I do for you on this fine day?”

_“Mention how you hugged Edelgard, he’ll surely want to turn it into a competition.”_

“I hugged Edelgard.”

Sothis smacks her hand into her face and sighs.

Truly, one cannot mince words with Byleth. Tact is a concept so far removed from her mind that one might think her from another planet entirely. An enigma of a woman, to be sure.

And it is precisely for that reason that she fits right in with her eagles—they too are a collection of conundrums. Particularly this Ferdinand boy. Sothis watches on from between her fingers, fascinated at the understanding that dawns on the boy’s face.

“Aha! I see, Professor! You’ve come straight to me from your disappointing hugging experience with Edelgard to see what a true noble hug looks like, haven’t you?” He flings the brush behind him and puffs his chest out as he continues, “In that case, I shall not disappoint! Behold the hugging prowess of I, Ferdinand von Aegir!”

He bounces out of the stables towards Byleth, beaming all the while, and takes her into his arms. Her eyes narrow slightly as his grip tightens. 

It would appear that Edelgard is the superior hugger after all.

Once Ferdinand is done flaunting his noble superiority, he breaks away from the hug and turns with a flourish. “Come back whenever you like, Professor, and I’ll demonstrate my skill for you again!” He returns to the building, retrieves his brush, and returns to his task; a proud smile stuck to his face all the while.

Byleth nods in his direction, and then tilts her head.

_“Why don’t you go to the Officer’s Academy, now? There are usually some of your flock around there, even on these free days, no?”_

Byleth nods and sets out.

* * *

“Linhardt.”

The word falls on deaf ears.

_“He is asleep.”_

_“Who could possibly have predicted such a thing, I wonder?”_ Sothis reclines in the air as she makes her boundless wisdom known once again, _“That position can’t be good for his neck; see if you can lean him against a tree.”_

Byleth does just that. Her hold on him is gentle, and once he is propped against the nearest tree—still sound asleep—Byleth looks at Sothis, with that same slight crease in her brow that she had before.

_“How do I hug him when he’s asleep?”_

Of course. To the point, as always.

_“You could always wait for him to awaken.”_

_“But I have other students to hug, too.”_

_“A dilemma, to be sure.”_ Sothis leans forward again, gesturing towards Linhardt. _“In that case, you’d best sit next to him and hug him like that. I don’t think he’s in a state to appreciate it though.”_

The crease vanishes once more. _“He will.”_

Only Byleth could utter such baseless words and have it sound almost convincing.

She lowers herself next to Linhardt, and wraps her arms around his centre. Her hands join on his opposite side, and her head leans against his shoulder.

Some time passes in silence before the sleepy boy’s eyes open halfway, and he glances downwards. “Professor?” he yawns.

“Linhardt,” Byleth replies, not looking up.

His brow furrows for a moment.

He then makes a slight attempt at a shrug with his free shoulder. His eyes drift closed once more, with the barest hint of a smile emerging on his face.

Silence returns. 

And Sothis is the one to break it. _“That boy is an absolute anomaly. You two are much alike in that sense.”_

Byleth says nothing, and remains a few seconds longer before carefully disentangling herself and rising to her feet. She tilts her head.

_“Hmm…perhaps try going to the training grounds next.”_

Byleth nods and starts moving out again, but she stops next to another tree some distance away from where Linhardt rests. She turns her gaze upwards, into the leaves.

“Petra.”

A head breaks free from the foliage, not too high from the ground. Sothis jumps at the sudden appearance.

“I have being spotted! Your eye has goodness, Professor,” Petra says, grinning.

_“How in the world you have the ability to spot such things is beyond me. And why is she up there, anyway?”_

“Why are you up there?”

“I am practicing my climbing skills!” Her eyes sparkle as she continues, “In Brigid we are climbing many trees.”

Sothis perks up at the words. _“Ooh, ask her if she can get all the way to the top!”_

“Can you climb to the top?”

“Of course! What would I be doing if was not reaching the…” Her brow furrows for a moment, before she finds the words. “The maximum height?”

Splendid! Finally, a chance for some excitement.

Sothis grins and leans forward. _“Ask her to show you! And, ooh”—_ she claps her hands together— _“ask her to do it quickly! I want to see how fast she can go!”_

“Can you show me how fast you can go?”

Petra beams. “Yes, Professor! Watch me, and have learning!”

Her face pops back into the leaves and the tree rustles as she starts climbing. Byleth moves closer to the tree and watches as she finds footholds higher and higher into the sky. 

Her prowess is undeniable, but it would appear that the Brigid trees she learned with were sturdier than those of Fódlan, as a branch snaps underneath her when she puts her weight on it. Sothis and Byleth both go tense as she starts tumbling down through the foliage. She grunts at each branch that smacks her as she passes.

Sothis’ eyes remain trained on Petra as she commands, _“Byleth, catch her!”_ She turns her head to check Byleth is listening—but the command was not necessary, as Byleth is already in position, her body braced for impact. 

Petra breaks through the last layer of foliage and free falls through the air, before collapsing into Byleth’s waiting arms. Byleth bends her knees as she slows her fall as gently as she can.

“Are you well?”

“Yes, I am having great health! My, uh…my stuff has sternness! You have my thanks for your catching of me!”

Byleth lets her stand, and checks her over for any injuries, brushing twigs and leaves away as she goes. Petra is a bit disheveled, but otherwise unharmed. 

It must have shaken Byleth to see her student in danger like that. Perhaps Sothis got a bit too excited.

When Byleth sees the absence of wounds on Petra, she pulls her into a tight hug. Petra’s eyes widen, and Sothis worries that Byleth might have overstepped her bounds.

But the fear is dashed when Petra beams again and returns the hug. “I was beneath…uh, I was _under_ the impression that the people of Fódlan are not liking to hug. In Brigid our hugging is free and often, but I was always having rejection when I was trying it here. I have gladness that that is not being the case with you, Professor.”

_“How unfortunate it is that the people here are so dull. It sounds like Petra here would quite enjoy it if you offered to hug her more often.”_

“Petra. If it makes you happy, I will hug you more often.”

Petra’s smile grows even wider. “I would be liking that greatly! We can be hugging whenever we are meeting!”

Byleth jolts in place again. It’s only a slight reaction, but to Sothis it is as clear as day that Byleth is just brimming with excitement at the idea.

“That sounds nice.”

Yes, brimming with excitement, indeed.

They say no more for a time, before a voice cuts through the silence, coming from behind. “Professor!”

Petra’s smile drops as she withdraws from the hug, while Byleth turns her head to look at the new arrival.

“Caspar.”

He notices Petra as he finishes approaching. “Oh. Hi, Petra,” he says, shuffling on his feet.

“Hello. Caspar,” she responds, avoiding looking in his direction.

Sothis’ brow furrows. _“Did something happen between these two? They got along so well before…”_

“Did something happen?” Byleth asks, looking between them.

“No, Professor, nothing is being the matter. I will be leaving now. You have my thanks for giving me your time.”

She walks away without looking back. Caspar watches her as she goes, with melancholy etched on his face. Byleth tilts her head. 

Sothis drifts into Byleth’s field of vision and meets her eyes. _“I doubt you can do much to help right now; they may just need some time to work it out between themselves.”_ Sothis places her hand beneath her chin and nods in Caspar’s direction. _“For now, you can worry about hugging him.”_

Byleth turns to him. “Caspar.”

He jumps. “Professor!” He blinks rapidly as he regains his bearings. Then, his displeasure washes away, eagerness taking its place once more. “You wanna train? You can show me more brawling tips!”

She nods.

“Race you to the training grounds!” he says, taking off in a run.

Byleth shoots off after him.

* * *

She beats him there by a substantial margin.

The grounds are empty besides themselves, and they waste no time in gearing up. Well, Caspar gears up. He dons a full set of training gear, while Byleth elects not to take any equipment.

Meanwhile, Sothis lies back in the air to spectate—she need not intervene when Byleth is teaching. Byleth took surprisingly well to the role, and when she’s in that comfort zone she always manages to find the words she needs without assistance.

Once they begin, Byleth sticks to defending. She dodges and blocks Caspar’s punches, opting not to capitalise on the openings he offers. As their fight continues, she remains unaffected by the extended effort, while Caspar steadily loses form and stamina—his roars of enthusiasm with each punch soon die out, and he puts his full focus into landing a single blow.

Eventually, he overextends into a punch, and Byleth sweeps his legs from under him. He collapses into a heap, kicking up a cloud of dust, and she is over him in an instant, solidifying her victory.

His breathing is laboured as he says, “Damn! I yield. You got me again, Professor.”

She steps off and offers a hand to help him up. He ignores it, electing to jump to his feet unaided. He only wobbles slightly once he’s standing.

Let the lesson begin.

“Caspar. Watch your footing. An average bandit won’t see the opening but more experienced foes will take advantage of it. Once you’re on your back, you’re at a severe disadvantage.”

She steps closer and places her hands on his shoulders. He stands a little straighter.

“But your stamina is improving, and you’re offering fewer openings than you were before. Your progress is good.”

She pulls him into a hug.

“Good job.”

Caspar beams as he returns the gesture. “Yeah, I’ll keep improving!”

But he must not be able to stomach the extended period of idling, as he escapes Byleth’s grip a moment later. “You wanna train some more?”

With the teaching concluded, her usual demeanour returns—she just shakes her head.

“Suit yourself!” He turns and starts bouncing over to the training dummies. “See ya later!”

Byleth nods at his back and turns to leave. Since Sothis is hovering in that direction, their eyes meet.

_“You do much better when you’re teaching, don’t you?”_

Byleth tilts her head, and Sothis considers elaborating on her meaning. Then she thinks twice of it, and defers, _“Nevermind. Let’s go look for someone else.”_

Perhaps it was too much to expect a response to a question like that. One day.

Byleth nods, and moves past Sothis to exit the training grounds. Once she’s outside, she stops and tilts her head again.

Sothis taps her finger on her chin as she considers. _“Hmm, where could you find someone else…? Oh!”_ She claps her hands together. _“The tea tables in the gardens. There are often people crowded around there.”_

Byleth nods and sets off once more. As usual, she greets the people she passes—Felix and Ingrid each receive a standard Byleth-style greeting as she hurtles by. Linhardt gets another one too, but he’s in no state to respond.

Byleth dips through the reception hall and soon arrives at the tables. No eagles are in sight. She tilts her head, and Sothis is preparing to offer another location when a song starts up from a short distance away.

“Laaa-la-la-la-laaaaa…”

_“That must be the songstress. The brunette, with the hat.”_

_“Dorothea.”_

_“Yes. It sounds like she’s near that gazebo with the benches around it.”_

Byleth moves there in mere seconds. Even such short distances fall to her unrelenting pace. She rounds the hedge, and Dorothea comes into view. She’s sitting alone at a bench on the far side of the garden, eyes closed as she sings.

Perhaps she hopes to attract a mate with her siren’s song. 

Byleth is likely not the type of person she was hoping for.

“Dorothea.”

She halts her singing and looks towards Byleth. “Why, hello, Professor! What brings you here? Were you hoping to relax amongst nature, or…was it _me_ that you wanted?” She winks with those last words, and the implication of the gesture sails right over Byleth’s head.

Instead, Byleth blinks, and Sothis _feels_ the words that are about to bubble out of her throat.

 _“Do_ not _say that, Byleth! Do_ not—”

“Yes, I want you.”

Sothis smacks her face and groans.

Meanwhile, Dorothea grins. “Oh, how flattering, Professor…” She sighs dreamily and adjusts her hair. “But I’m guessing you don’t quite mean that, do you?”

At least _someone_ at this monastery can decipher Byleth. If only Byleth could decipher anyone at this monastery.

“I meant it.” She pauses, tilting her head. “I was looking for you.”

“Well then, you’ve found me.” Dorothea joins her hands in her lap and flashes a brilliant smile. “How can I help you?”

“Can I hug you?” 

Dorothea’s eyebrows raise. “You want to hug me, huh?”

Byleth affirms her intent by nodding.

No more words are spoken, and Sothis sees the need to step in. _“Explain why, Byleth…”_

“I want you to be happy.”

Dorothea blinks a few times, and her face embarks on a fascinating journey of emotions. First amusement, then bemusement, then something a little softer, before finally settling on a warm smile. “Aww, Professor…” she croons. “Come here!”

She stands from the bench and starts humming her tune from before as she takes Byleth into her arms. Byleth returns the gesture, and Dorothea continues to hum while they hug.

It _is_ a lovely tune. Can Byleth appreciate music? Sothis makes a mental note to inquire, another time.

Eventually, Dorothea pulls away. She stops humming to speak, “Oh, if only I could find someone like you, Professor… It’s so nice to be worried about.”

Byleth just tilts her head; the words once again hold little meaning to her.

Dorothea waits with a smile to see if she will respond, before she apparently loses her nerve under Byleth’s gaze. “Well, it was lovely speaking with you, and the hug was nice too. Ta-ta!” she says, a little too quickly. She makes a break for it, leaving Byleth standing alone among the hedges.

Byleth nods at Dorothea’s back as she leaves.

_“Well, that just leaves you with Edelgard’s butler. The tall one, with black hair.”_

_“Hubert.”_

_“Indeed. I don’t know where you might find him. Have you any ideas, perhaps?”_

“Hubert.”

Sothis looks around for the boy Byleth called for. Nothing of interest is discernible. _“Are you hoping to summon him by chanting his name? I think that only works for Edelgard.”_

Byleth offers no response. Instead, she turns to face the dining hall, where the sun casts a patch of shadows. She repeats, “Hubert.”

A moment passes before one shadow dislodges from the rest and slinks over to Byleth.

How concerning it is that he can do that.

“Why, it would appear I’ve been caught, haven’t I?” His arms cross. “Then, pray tell, our _dearest_ professor—what might you require from me? Or are you perhaps planning on issuing punishment for my snooping?”

Before Sothis can offer any guidance, Byleth says, “I require a hug.”

Sothis’ palm meets her face once again, while Hubert’s smirk drops into a frown as he stares.

Byleth must then come to the conclusion that her words were inadequate, since she appends, “From you.” She nods as she speaks, as if all were now clear in the world.

Hubert raises an arm to pinch his brow. “I’m not _hugging_ you.” He brings his arm down again and continues, “What in the world are you doing, Professor? Are you hoping to cozy up to me? Like you are with Lady Edelgard?” His eyes narrow. “Our work is much too important to suffer for your sake. What is it that you hope to gain here, exactly?”

“I want you both to be happy.”

The candid statement stuns Hubert. Then, he laughs, and it is a cackle that _drips_ with malice. Perhaps if it was directed at anyone else, they might have been intimidated. 

“Yes, I suppose that makes sense. A tactical genius and force of nature on the battlefield, yet _utterly_ simple-minded when it comes to social matters. You mystify me, Professor.” 

Sothis’ eyes narrow, and her hands meet her hips. _“How rude!”_ She turns to look at Byleth. _“I agree with the mystification part though.”_

Byleth blinks. “So can I hug you?”

“No, you can’t—keep your filthy hands off me. I’ve no interest in your shenanigans.”

That must have been the wrong answer. Byleth, looking determined as Sothis has ever seen, starts taking steps closer.

Hubert’s eyes widen, and his arms drop as he starts moving backwards in response.

 _“Byleth,”_ Sothis warns, _“He’s not interested. Leave him be.”_

_“I want him to be happy, too.”_

_“Byleth!”_

She stops in place and turns her head away from Hubert, to face Sothis. Her expression is _close_ to the neutral it would normally be. But there’s something else there. With the way her eyebrows are fractionally drooping…she almost looks _upset._

Sothis’ jaw drops. Her thoughts halt and she has no guidance to offer; instead, she glances in the direction of the only other witness.

Hubert must see the difference too, since his eyes widen further. “Why, is that an _emotion_ I spy on your features? I’d not believe it had someone else claimed it to be so.”

Byleth turns back to him. “Hubert. Why can’t I hug you?”

Hubert’s concern makes way for a look of defeat, his head tilting back. “Oh, for the love of—” He heaves a sigh, before levelling his head. “Fine. Hug me, Professor, that I might be spared the puppy eyes.”

Byleth’s eyes light up, her smidge of emotion flipping in the other direction. She approaches him, and once she has closed the distance, she wraps her arms around him. She rests her head against his shoulder and closes her eyes.

Hubert’s arms remain still at his sides, and he looks away as he waits for it to end. Perhaps the lighting is to blame, but his cheeks almost appear reddened.

* * *

When Hubert tires of Byleth’s shenanigans, he slithers from her embrace and melds back into the shadows. Byleth leaves the gardens—with no hugs left to distribute, she wanders without purpose. 

Sothis’ heart warms as she considers how well Byleth has done. _“Well, that’s all of them! Each and every one of your little fledglings, happy as can be!”_

_“I’m glad.”_

Such vigour! A magnificent result, indeed.

Byleth continues ambling, and they both say nothing for a time. Sothis watches Byleth’s face to see if anything flickers across it again. What could she possibly be thinking about?

Then, Byleth slows to a stop. She turns, directing her gaze onto Sothis.

_“Sothis.”_

She raises a brow. It’s not often that Byleth initiates a conversation with her. Or with anyone. Something must have gotten into her today. 

_“Yes, Byleth?”_

_“Would you be happy if I hugged you?”_

Sothis shakes her head as she says, _“You know I can’t touch anything.”_

_“But if you could?”_

Oh, how pure she is.

Sothis couldn’t have suppressed the warm smile that blooms across her face if she’d tried. _“Then yes, I would be very happy indeed.”_

Byleth nods and turns away again.

Sothis’ smile morphs into a grin. _“As it is, though, you’ll just have to settle for thanking me profusely.”_ She throws her arms out and yells, _“Sing my praises! Let the world know of my splendor!”_

_“Thank you.”_

Close enough.

Eventually, Byleth ends up at a view of the mountains surrounding the monastery. She leans on the railing and stands motionless.

Sothis follows her gaze into the distance.

The mountains are grand, without a doubt. Those peaks that pierce the sky above; ever-present and oh-so magnificent to behold.

All…one, two, three of them.

Three mountains.

Oh! And some birds, flying in the sky. 

Squawking.

Some birds, and their squawking.

And…three mountains.

Hmm…

Sothis can appreciate a good view of the scenery, of course. The world’s natural beauty is a wondrous thing, indeed.

But Byleth has been standing here for so _long_ , now. What does she see in those distant peaks? When is she going to _move?_

What…what could Sothis talk about, to divert her attention?

Ah, of course. Sothis’ lips curve upwards as the solution comes to mind. 

_“You know, Byleth, you can do more than just hug people. There are plenty of other ways you might make your students happy.”_

Byleth looks at Sothis, tilting her head.

_“For example…some of them might respond well to a pat on the head! You could praise them for their efforts too, as you did with Caspar. Vocalise your pride for them!”_

Byleth pulls away from the railing, and her gaze on Sothis intensifies. _“Would Edelgard like that?”_

There it is.

Sothis’ grin widens. _“Well, I think it’s quite possible that she would, indeed.”_

Byleth says no more and sprints off once again.

* * *

Edelgard is pacing around her room. She can’t help it. She’s restless, and her mind is at war with itself. She hadn’t meant to spy, but it seemed like everywhere she went on her free day, her teacher was there, hugging one of her classmates. Even Hubert, bizarrely enough. 

But it _is_ innocent. Really. Nothing wrong with it. Byleth has proven time and time again that she prefers to give her affection with actions, rather than words. It only makes sense that that would also extend to Edelgard’s classmates. It already had, even! Byleth offered comfort to the whole class after they’d been shaken up during the mission at Zanado.

And as the future emperor of Adrestia, Edelgard _has_ to have more control over her emotions. She _knows_ it’s likely that Byleth won’t be by her side for much longer. She _knows_ that she shouldn’t even be indulging in the affections, that she should maintain the distance between them, that she just has a—a silly little crush. On her professor.

She _knows,_ damn it.

But she can’t help herself. She’s _envious._ She wants to be the only one to sink into those strong, toned arms, she wants to be the only one who gets to look up and meet those _gorgeous_ blue eyes, she wants to— 

_Knock._

The knock on her door breaks her from her introspection.

“Edelgard.”

Speak of the devil.

Edelgard takes a deep breath to rein her emotions in, before moving to the door and opening it to reveal the woman herself. 

The mask of feigned neutrality slips on once more. “My teacher. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Byleth tilts her head a fraction.

It’s cute.

 _She’s_ cute.

“Can I come in?”

Edelgard gathers herself again, enough to reply, “Of course.”

She steps back to allow Byleth entry and closes the door behind her. She exhales. Then, she follows Byleth into the centre of the room, where she turns and meets Edelgard’s eyes.

“I have an idea.”

This might be the first time that Byleth has taken the lead in a conversation quite like this. The sensation is almost uncanny. And for a statement such as that…it’s a little concerning. What could possibly have piqued her interest?

“Do tell.”

“Can I show you?”

Yes, that’s concerning. No matter— _surely_ she would not have come with ill intent.

“As you wish, my teacher.” 

Edelgard’s heart skips a beat when Byleth raises her arms and takes a step closer. Her cheeks flare up, and she says, “You—you really need not indulge me, my teacher. I’m sure I’ve already taken enough of your time today.” 

Byleth ignores her words and takes her into another hug. Edelgard’s traitorous arms wrap around her in instinctive response, and she can’t help but rest her head on Byleth’s shoulder. It’s not even been a minute, and her walls are already coming down once again. How is it that Byleth brings out such _weakness_ in her?

Edelgard takes a deep breath to steady herself. Byleth smells like the greenhouse: a wonderful, earthy smell of flowers that reminds Edelgard of the spring. Her eyes drift closed as all her prior worries suddenly seem so far away. Truly, she does not deserve her teacher.

Her tranquility halts there, however. She tenses at an unfamiliar sensation—a hand, resting on the top of her head.

“Is this okay?”

“Yes. Professor. It’s quite alright. It’s just not something that I’m used to.”

Edelgard feels Byleth tilt her head a little. “Say if you want me to stop.”

Edelgard gets no chance to ponder these words. The hand starts brushing through her hair, with fingertips gliding down the back of her head—and Edelgard _melts._ It’s a good thing Byleth’s grip around her back is so firm, since her knees go weak beneath her, and belatedly, she realises that she is sighing in appreciation. 

_Don’t ever do this for anyone but me…_

A short moment passes before she hears a single huff of air—and reality comes crashing in. Her eyes snap open, she draws back in the hug, and her cheeks burst into flames as she realises that _she said that out loud._

“I did _not_ mean to say that, I—ah, wha—what I meant to say was—”

“Edelgard.”

She ceases her stammering.

“It’s okay. It’s natural to want things for yourself.”

And today is truly a day of many firsts because, for the first time since they met, Byleth smiles. It’s only a slight quirk at the edges of her lips, but nonetheless, Byleth is smiling. At Edelgard.

 _For_ Edelgard.

“I want to keep hugging everyone else too, but if you prefer, I’ll only ever pat your head.”

“No, no, you can do as you please, I—”

Her words falter as the arm around her back pulls her back in, and the hand in her hair starts moving again. Her eyes shut once more, and all the world around her fades away as she drifts back into bliss, held by protective arms.

Softly spoken words reach her through the haze of her reverie. “You’re doing so well, Edelgard. I’m proud of you.”

The heat in Edelgard’s cheeks spreads all the way up to her ears. Normally she would deny such praise, but this time she just doesn’t have it in her. Instead, she puts more of her weight on Byleth, melting even deeper into her sturdy embrace.

How long has it been since she felt so cared for?

How long has it been since she felt so _safe?_

**Author's Note:**

> me and my goddamn mountains, huh? just couldn’t resist putting The Railing in here.
> 
> i hope you have a wonderful day. <3


End file.
